What We Take For Granted
by Beloved Goddess
Summary: He's mistake,her selfishness, their injustice, her support....and her death.....the things we regret because we take for granted! Please Read and Review! One Shot, or it was meant to be a one shot...
1. What We Take For Granted

**What We Take For Granted**

"Why do you always take her side!? It's because of your indulgence that she is so spoiled!" Serena screamed at Darien, her eyes wavering with both hurt and anger.

"Why are you always against her!? You cry that she doesn't respect you but how could anyone respect you with the way you treat her?!" Darien retorted with equal frustration! He ran his hand through his hair, missing the look of desperate pain that passed on his beloved's face.

"How do I treat her? Like any normal child!?"

"She is not any normal child!"

"Is that right? Please, forgive me…enlighten me of how different she is!"

"For one she is a sailor scout and secondly she is a princess!"

"Before she is all that, she is human…a small human child! Being a princess doesn't give you the right to be spoiled and rude! I can't believe someone of your extensive studies could be so stupid as to suggest that just because she is a scout and would be princess means she isn't a child!"

"I didn't say that!"

"You know what, forget it! I am sick and tired of this constant fighting. If you want to spoil her then go ahead but as long as she lives under the same roof as I do, I will raise her up with the same respect my parents raised me. you wouldn't know that would you!?" Serena snapped and covered her mouth with her hands. She had said something totally uncalled for and though she had the right of it, she still felt horrible about it.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized immediately.

Darien's cobalt eyes narrowed on her with malicious hatred, hurt and rejection.

"I may not have had parents to raise me up Serena, but at least I didn't turn out to be as slow, stupid, and practically useless like you!" he shouted at her, not taking into accounts the awful words that had just left his lips.

Serena stared at him with raw undisguised pain. She was slow and academic wise she was stupid but she wasn't useless was she? The tears fell from her eyes and she turned her back on him.

"As you wish. I will no longer be a part of Rini's growth. If she needs a guardian for school related things, go ahead and do it yourself. If she misbehaves I will say not a word and if she is in danger I will know nothing of it. But whatever she turns out to be, don't blame me for it. I can't handle this anymore." She said softly.

"As if you've handled anything at all." he remarked sarcastically and with a heavy sigh she walked out of his apartment, that being the last time she promised herself to step foot in the place that had once been a shelter but now an abyss of hurtful hating words. As she walked into the empty waiting elevator, she slid to the floor and cried. The pain in her heart was tearing at her; she needed someone to talk to. Taking her communicator out of her pocket, she pressed a red button that would alert the one person who had been at her side throughout the whole ordeal.

The screen if the communicator blurred, a minute later a family head of raven locks with purple highlights and dark amethyst eyes peered at her. No words needed to be said for the reflection of the girl's face in the mirror of the communicator to understand what had happened.

"Wait for me, I will have Chad drive me up to pick you up." She said simply and Serena nodded, balling her self up and crying over everything that had been going on for nearly a month. It was raining outside so there weren't many people around to use the elevator. Ten minutes later, the black haired girl and a man with boyish features and a mess of brown long hair appeared at the entrance of the elevator and with sympathetic understanding helped her into the car. They drove off in silence with Serena wondering about the direction of which she and Darien's relationship was heading, the black haired girl seething with suppressed anger at Darien and the messy brown haired Chad wondering what the heck was going on.

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Back at Darien's apartment, the man in question sat at his desk reading through his assigned homework. He had a month left to graduate from school, earn his license in the medical world and start working as a surgeon. He was the youngest man in history to be earning his PHD at the tender age of 24. After Serena, his girlfriend had left the house, he had went back to sit down and started working as if nothing was wrong or he hadn't just started world war 3. As he worked, with his ebony hair and long bangs constantly falling on his eyes, a pink haired girl watched him from the open door of his bedroom. She had woken up to hear what the argument was about and she signed. For nearly a month her future mother and father had been at each others neck and all seemed to be because of her. She didn't like the tension though she enjoyed the attention immensely. She didn't like her future mother at all; she was always getting on her case! But her father was always by her side and supporting her through it all. She wondered what her real dad; the one in her real time would think seeing his younger self treat their daughter like the princess she was!

For as long as she could remember, her father…Neo King Endymion, of earth had always sided with her mother, Neo Queen Serenity. no matter what the argument or the problem was or who was at fault, the king always sided with the queen. More often than not Rini had felt little love from his father. Of course the queen had also always sided with the king but the queen had a gentle quietness about her that always warmed Rini and even though she sided with the king she also made sure that Rini knew of her love for her. It was hard to see that these same people were playing the reverse roles in their younger days. Haven tasted the freedom of having her father love her, Rini had forgotten her mother's gentleness and instead constantly fought with her mother's younger self. To her, Serena was impulsive, graceless, stupid, useless and a worthless human being. Never mind the many times Serena had saved her life. Of course it didn't help that she had a silly crush on the man who would someday become her father. Rini sighed with great disappointment. Why couldn't her father marry someone more mature and beautiful? Like for instant, Trista…the sailor soldier of time? The more time Rini spends in the past of her parents, the more her vision of her mother became distorted, wanting for herself what she had never had before, her father's unconditional love, devotion and indulgence. Now that she had it all, she didn't want to live with Serena anymore, she just wanted to live with her father, grow up with her father's warmth alone. As the idea formed and planted itself in the soil of her mind, she left the room and on silent foot approached her preoccupied father.

"Daddy?" she called sweetly, that voice had gotten her everything she wanted from anyone except of course, Serena. Darien turned to look at his future daughter and his hear t ached at the look of fear in her eyes.

"Yes sweetie?" He replied with the same sweetness, spread his arms wide and she came into his open arms willingly.

"I was thinking papa, that you will let me live with you. I can't go back to that house, not while Serena is there!" She begged, rubbing her eyes and producing the amount of tears needed to make her story plausible.

"I would love it if you live with me too but Rini, you know I am never home and besides, I need to talk to Serena's parents first. You know they are on your side and they won't let Serena hurt you anymore!" Darien said with a growl at the end of his sentence. He couldn't believe that Serena had dared to slap their daughter for a stupid reason as that she was being disrespectful! It irked him to no end. Rini sighed and nodded. She could push Serena's button for her to do something and next time Darien would not hesitate to have her live with him.

"Ok papa." She answered obediently.

"That's my girl. It's getting late, how about we order take out and tonight you can stay with me alright?" He said as he stood up still holding her.

"Ok papa but I want Chinese!" She said with a giggle and they both laughed.

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Rei watched silently as her friend slept on her bed. She sighed at the situation before all of them. Who would have thought that when it counted most she would be the one to be by Serena's side? However over the years of their friendship, it became increasingly clear that she above all cared the most for their princess.

This is just getting messier and messier. She thought and picked up the book she had been reading and left her room. After returning home, Serena had asked for a hot shower and afterwards had fallen straight to sleep. Rei knew that Serena hadn't been sleeping well over the past month and though she wanted to hear in details the event that had occurred in Darien's apartment, she let the blond go to sleep.

"Rei?" Chad's voice interrupted her thoughts as she walked in view of the sacred fire.

"What is it Chad?" she asked tiredly.

"Here, come drink this. It will help." Obediently she walked to him and sat by his side as he poured her a cup of the steaming tea. She blew on it for a while before taking a sip and all the while her boyfriend watched her with concern. He had been away over the month promoting his new band, Crimson, CD's. Every time he talked to Rei on the phone she sounded tired, annoyed and in pain. It went on for nearly a month so he had decided to cut his promoting short, or at least take a break to come see his distress girl. he had arrived that very morning to find her in a state of explosive wraths that he had let her take out on him through martial art until she was calmed down. However she had given him no form of explanation and he knew better than to ask. She would speak to him when she was ready and he hoped it would be soon.

"I'm sorry I keep taking my anger out on you." She said with the same tired old sigh and a frown.

"It's ok. I would rather you take it out on me than anyone else." He said assuringly and she again felt the realization of how lucky she was to have a boyfriend who placed her above all.

"I suppose you want to know what this is all about."

"I admit that I am curios however if you don't feel like talking about it you don't have to." He said again, he wanted to know however he hated to see her in so much distress and he knew whatever was happening with Serena and Darien was the cause of all the talk and commotion in town. He had been hearing rumors that Darien and Serena had been at each others neck for a while and that this time their relationship was so far stretched that they would break up sometime soon. The very idea of Serena and Darien, Japan's dubbed best couple, breaking up was so shocking to him that he wanted to find out what could be so powerful as to the be cause of it.

"They say that children make relationship stronger and tighter but it's more that children makes relationship risky. There is no longer the assurance that the couples are first in each other's heart. Now they have an extra heart to keep from feeling lonely or to feel like an outside intruding on sacred grounds." Rei said metaphorically.

"No child of us will ever hold my heart as you do Rei, this I promise!" he said and she smiled a genuine smile at him since his return.

"I hope that is the case cause I can't go through what Serena is going through. I might end up strangling both you and the child!" Rei said with a giggle and Chad put his hands around his neck and opened his eyes wide before bursting into chuckles. She knew she was joking around but that did not erase the half seriousness that darkened her eyes as she had said that.

"Well I am not aware that Serena and Darien has a child." Chad said with confusion, he had only been gone a month…was it possible that his two friends had done the dirty, gotten pregnant and birthed in that brief moments?

"Chad, tell me truthfully…what do you know about the sailor scouts. Don't hold anything back!" Rei asked, for a long while she had suspected that he knew about her alter ego, if he did it would make explaining things to him much easier but if not she would have to bypass many of the truths and give him half truths. It would not be enough to drive home the gravity of the situation. Chad looked at her with serious eyes, he had for a long time thought that Rei was Mars but never had he dared to ask her. What if he was wrong and makes a fool out of himself. But then he remembered what she had just said about not holding anything back.

"Well I know this sounds crazy and all but…I've always thought you are Sailor Mars." he whispered.

"Chad, speak up, I couldn't hear you." she said as she leaned in closer to him.

"Well I think you are Sailor Mars!" he said loudly and quickly before averting his eyes, waiting for the laughter that would tell him that he was wrong. But the laughter never came, he brought his head back to her and with a nodded he knew that his worst nightmares were just confirmed to be reality.

"Yes, I am Sailor Mars. Do you want an autograph?" She teased and his eyes blazed with anger! How could she joke about such and important matter?! Every freaking day found her risking her life in a battle against 3D monsters out of this world that only exist in our night of nightmares and she had the nerve to joke about it to the person most worried about it?! He stood up and glared down at her. she was taken aback by his sudden malevolence, what had she done wrong?!

"You may be used to risking your damn life everyday but please don't joke about it to those who are helpless to help or protect you!" he snapped at her. She blinked and watched in shock as he disappeared completely from her view. What he said suddenly dawned on her with fierce guilt. She had never given thought to the feelings of those around them if they should ever discover the scouts' identity. She should have given him some sort of assurance when she started to suspect that he knew of her secret identity but she hadn't! now seeing the raw fear, worry and anger in his eyes and voice, she began to understand that her world did not just involve sailor battles.

As she tried to stand up, a fierce pain gripped her heart and she grabbed at it. She suddenly became very dizzy and made to grab something but slipped and collapsed into unconsciousness. The noise of her fall alerted her grandfather who was in the next room besides the fire room and had heard their conversation. He had known about Rei being a sailor soldier a week after she joined Mercury and Moon; however he had said nothing about it. He wanted her to have the courage to come tell him herself however she never had. He wondered that now that she had told Chad, if she would come to him about it. Hearing a rather loud noise, he rushed into the room to found Rei on the floor. He felt for her pulse and breathing and realized that it w as all bad.

"Chad! CHAD!" he kept screaming and the man ran quickly back into the room.

"What happened to her!?" He demanded.

"Call an ambulance!" Grandfather Hino ordered and Chad did as was told. A few minutes later an ambulance showed up under all the stairs of the temple hill and the two men quickly rushed the fainted girl into the ambulance and took of to Hope Field Hospital.

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Ami sat by Rei's bed with worry. She had been at the hospital visiting patience like she did every Wednesday when they had rushed Rei in.

"What happened?!" she had asked with shock.

"We don't know. She just fainted." Chad answered as his eyes streamed with tears. They had rushed Rei to the ER and for 30 minutes she had been there with the doctors. Ami had then called all of the scouts, except for Serena whom Chad told him was resting in Rei's room. However as was expected, no one showed up. Tensions were dividing the scouts up, yet to ignore a call when a fellow partner was in an emergency room was had to swallow. After Rei had been taken out of the ER and put into a private room in the remote part of the hospital, Ami had sat by her side all the time. Apparently Rei was at a risk of having a heart attack.

"How did things get this complicated?" she asked now with a sighed.

"How? Because you and the others are too damn worried about Rini to realize the truth of her deception!" Rei answered, waking up from her sleep.

"Rei, please not that again." Ami begged, she was tired of the feud between Serena and Rini that was tearing the scouts apart.

"Why not that again. Ami listen to me...it doesn't matter that Rini is Serena's daughter, OUR duty is to Serena, not her descendants!"

"This isn't about duty or anything! What Serena is doing to Rini is just plain abuse!"

"How the hell is Serena abusing Rini!? so what, she slapped Rini a little on the face because the child was being obnoxious….suddenly she is abusing Rini!?"

"There is more than just one way of abuse! What about Rini's emotional scars?!"

"That damn child has no emotions!" Rei shot back and the two glared at each other. No one was winning. Rei turned her back away from the blue haired girl and Ami sighed before leaving the room. It always ended like this, every time they see each other, it ended in a fight the left both side frustrated!

"Chad, I am heading home." Ami said as she grabbed her coat, it was pouring outside.

"Oh, ok. Is she awake now?" he asked her and Ami nodded her head. With a final goodbye to Grandfather Hino, she walked out of the hospital with a heavy sigh.

Chad walked into the private room where his girlfriend was resting and found her facing the window. He felt as if he was the one told about having a risk of a heart attack.

"Rei?" he called her softly. She didn't answer and he took slow steps toward her bed. She said nothing and he sat on the bed, his weight pressing the white covered bed lower. For a while none said a word.

"It started about a month ago…no…it had been happening over a month. But it was only about a month ago that the trouble escalated to such emotions of hostile frustration." She said softly.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with Rini?" she nodded and sighed, before turning around to face him with eyes wavering with tears.

"I always blamed Serena every time Rini would do something, cry or run away but it was not her fault. The child is so difficult! I don't know how Serena managed to live with her for so long but I guess even Serena's benevolence has an end. Rini's school was having a marathon race so we went to cheer her on…." Rei told Chad all that had happened and was happening.

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On Rei's bed, Serena's eyes streamed with tears as her dreams were infested with memories that she wish she could forget. She watched in her dreams as they headed to Rini's school marathon. She had been so excited because Lita and Amara had been training her for the two weeks before the marathon.

"Oh do your best Rini!" Serena cheered as they were about to part with Rini so she could go to the starting line.

"I always do my best, can't you say win!?" Rini demanded. Serena blinked at her, hid the hurt and smiled.

"Well then, please win the race!" Serena enthusiastically cheered and Rini sighed.

"But I'm not sure that I can. Latina and the others have been training just about as hard as me." Rini admitted contrary to what she wanted Serena to say. Not knowing what else to say, Serena stayed quiet. Nothing she said seemed to reach Rini's heart.

"Oh you will win alright!" Lita said with confidence.

"Remember, they may have been training hard but you had the best teachers in the world! Who out there is faster than the soldier of the wind?!" Amara winked.

"You can do it Rini!" the rest of the girls echoed. Serena knelt on her feet and took Rini's hands in her own. It wasn't that she didn't believe in RIni's ability to win, she just knew without a doubt that Rini wasn't going to win the marathon. And she knew that with all of them saying win; when she lost she would be devastated. She needed to assure Rini that win or loose, she should feel no guilt.

"Rini, I know that you want to win this marathon and I wish you the best of luck. Whatever the outcome of this marathon, we still love you and we are still proud of you." She said with kindness but Rini yanked her hands out of Serena's.

"Are you saying that you think I'm going to loose?!" the little girl screamed.

"No, it's …"

"Come on Serena, have some faith in her!" Lita yelled. She felt Serena was underestimating HER abilities considering she was the one who trained Rini.

"Yeah Serena! Rini is a sailor scout!" Mina stated proudly

"Rini you will do fine." Amy cheered.

"Give it your best munchkin" Darien said and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah!" Rini ran off to join in the line and Serena sighed. She got up and started walking away.

"Serena what was that all about?" Trista asked.

"Nothing."

"Well you didn't have to break her spirit like that" Michelle said.

"I didn't see anything wrong with the advice Serena gave Rini. Stop looking for trouble where none is!" Rei who had yet to say a thing finally snapped! She had seen in the sacred fire too that Rini would loose the race, so she was in quite agreement with Serena's advice.

"What's with you?" Mina asked curiously.

"What's with me what?"

"You never take Serena's side!" Amy said in astonishment.

"I know when a sound advice is given thank you." she said and sped to catch up to Serena.

The others looked at each other and shrug their shoulders and returned to watch the race.

"Serena?" Rei called out to her friend.

"Rei, it will not be a good idea for Rini to see me after she loose. I will go home and prepare some of her favorite dishes for her. She saw a tea set at a store yesterday, I will buy it for her, it might cheer her up. Will you stay and give her a hug for me?" Serena asked with her back turned to Rei and she nodded.

"Of course." They parted ways and Serena went home, first stopping by the store to pick up the tea set and went home to ask her mom to prepare Rini's favorite foods. Two hours later a dejected Rini and down cast sailors and Darien knocked on the door. With her heart in her stomach, Serena moved to open the door. For the past weeks, her relationship with her future daughter had been a roller coaster of constant up and downs. She hoped that maybe after today they might find some common ground. When she opened the door and saw the tear stained face of Rini, she rushed to her and hugged her tightly to her chest.

"Oh sweetie I'm so sorry!" She said as she felt tears build in her chest. She had known about the outcome of the marathon but facing it was a different issue all together.

"Stay away from me! It's all your fault!" Rini hatefully pushed Serena away.

"My fault?" Serena asked with wide eyes.

"Her fault!?" Rei asked at the same time. Was this kid joking?

"Because you said I wouldn't win!"

"I didn't say you woul…"

"Shut up! I hate you, just stay away from me!" the pink haired girl yelled and ran inside and into her room in the attic. Serena sighed and got up.

"Don't let it get you down; she is just upset at the moment." Rei said soothingly.

"Serena?" Darien called her name.

"Yeah?"

"You knew she would loose didn't you?" he asked and she nodded. "And you didn't say anything about it?"

"What could I have said Darien? Even telling her that whether she loose or win we would still be proud of her made her snap at me, how would she react if I had point blank told her that she would not win?" Serena said softly.

"You could have still…"

"Shut up Darien." The soft but deadly way Rei said those words shut Darien up. They parted ways.

Several hours passed and Rini still hadn't come down from her room. Serena decided to go see what was up, before going up to Rini's room; she went and grabbed the tea set.

"Rini?" she called when she reached the top of the ladder leading into Rini's room but no reply came. She sighed for the umpteenth time and went up in to the room. Rini was sitting by the open window with the wind lazily twirling her loose hairs.

"Rini?" she called again but Rini ignored her again. Serena approached her daughter and sat on the bed.

"Here." She stretched out the gift and like any little girl, Rini turned to look. The flash of appreciation in her eyes warmed Serena up but just as soon as it appeared it disappeared.

"What's this?" Rini asked with disgust masking the real excitement she felt inside. She had wanted the tea set for a long time and now she had it.

"Isn't this the tea set you wanted?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this? I am not so immature like you that I would play with these childish things!" Rini snapped.

"I'm sorry. I thought you wanted it." Serena said softly, her voice a reflection of her hurt.

"Well I don't!"

"Why are you so ill hearted? I am only trying to help you!" Serena finally snapped. She had had it with the child's bitterness.

"I didn't ask for your help did I?! And here, take your filthy gift back!" Rini stood up and smached the full tea set down on the ground, shattering it all to pieces. Serena slapped Rini on her cheeks and bent to be on eye level with the little girl.

"You listen to me Rini, as long as you are in our time you are under my guardianship! And I will not accept such ill mannered behavior! Do you hear me!?" Serena yelled at the girl. she had used her entire weeks savings just to be able to afford that tea set!

"What's going on up there?!" Mrs. Tsukino's worried voice reached their ears. Taking this to her advantage, Rini slapped herself hard enough to leave a scar and she started crying. Serena watched in shock. Her mother came up, saw the crying child and the scar of a hand on her cheek and drew out the conclusion Rini expected.

"Serena!" she screamed at her daughter!

**************

Serena violently woke up from the dream sweating. She sat up and breathed in and out to restore some other back into her mind. She didn't know what time it was or how long she had been sleeping but it felt as if she just went to sleep.

_That dream again. _She sighed and looked up. _Afterwards everything became chaotic. Rini cause one trouble after another, blamed me, lied and pointed fingers at others. Stole and hid things and began loosing friends because of her bad behavior. Yet every time I try to help I am always accused of things I know nothing about. I can't do this anymore. _She thought painfully and slid her legs off the bed to the flour. Her heart was battered too much to put up with their nonsense, it was time things changed. She got up and walked out of the room. She heard the steady beating of the rain and as she reached the door she opened it a little and saw that it was dark outside.

"Rei's at the hospital." Serena jumped at the voice. She turned around quickly and stared down at the short bald man that was Rei's grandfather.

"Grandpa please don't scare me like that again!" Serena said as she put her hand on her fast beating heart. Normally the old man would have grinned as he enjoyed scaring the life out of people but his granddaughter's condition weigh too heavily on his heart.

"Wait…what!? What happened to Rei?!" Serena asked, finally taking notice of what he had said.

"She is at the hospital. She collapsed earlier and was taken to the hospital. The doctor said that she was close to having a heart attack, her pressure was very high." The old man explained.

"When was this?" Serena asked worriedly.

"Several hours ago."

"Do you have an umbrella?"

"In this rain?! You expect to walk 30 minutes in this darkness and rain to go see Rei? Child, stay till the morrow then we can all go."

"Yeah, besides visiting hours are over." Chad said as he came up behind the old man.

"Hey Chad." Serena greeted.

"Well I am retiring for the night. See you both tomorrow." The bald man said and turned away from them and began retreating into the darkness with the candle he was holding.

"Oh and Serena?"

"Yes grandfather?"

"My home is always open to you always." He said and disappeared. Serena blinked and looked up at Chad hoping for some clarification, he just shrugged in reply.

"Serena, Rei told me of all that has been happening. Just know that I'm on your side ok?" he said and Serena's eyes bubbled with tears.

"Thank you."

They spent most of the night talking and finally went to sleep in the wee hours.

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8 am found Serena and Chad at the hospital. They had signed in at he desk and immediately one to Rei's room. Because they had eaten nothing in the morning, Chad left to go get them some breakfast. Serena took Rei's hand and placed her head on it.

"Please, don't leave me. You are the only friend I've got!" she begged as tears trailed down her face.

"Oh stop being so melodramatic meatball head!" Rei snapped playfully.

"Rei!" Serena screamed and threw her arms about her friend. Rei blushed at this and try to push her away.

"Come…on Meat…all…head…Ican'tbreath!"

"Oh, opps!" Serena said with an apologetic look.

"I think I should have you on a restraining order!" Rei choked out and Serena laughed nervously.

"Are you ok?" Rei was about to make another smart ass comment but seeing the genuine worry in Serena's eyes, she dropped the comment.

"I am fine thank you."

"I was so scared when I woke up and grandpa told me you were at the hospital!"

"It's alright. I'm fine." The two friends hugged tightly.

"Chad is getting us breakfast." Serena informed after the hug.

"They wont let him bring it in. they will think its for the patience and I mean who enjoys hospital foods!?" Rei said and the giggled and the horror in her voice.

"Has Darien called?" Rei asked and Serena shook her head. "That bastard!"

"It's ok Rei. Honestly I don't think I have the strength to keep our relationship going. To tell you the truth, I thought about it all night. I think for my sanity's sake it's best to break up with him." Serena said softly and Rei looked at her for a long time.

"I think that might be best too." Rei said finally and Serena looked up at her with tears in her eyes. Rei sat up and turned to face Serena, then pulled the crying blond into her arms.

"I know it's going to be hard. It's going to be so freaking painful, but Serena this is something you have to do for yourself. I've had to watch you give up everything for him and if that isn't enough then what else would be enough? I can't stand watching you tear yourself apart because of someone like him! Please, don't destroy yourself. I mean we all know that Serenity and Endymion are soul mate and all, so if they really are, then someday you two will get back together. But if not, at least you would know you tried your best. Maybe you might meet someone else who will love you and cherish you and you will be happy." Rei said soothingly as Serena cried in her arms. They both knew, she really had given her 110% all to the relationship.

The rest of their day was spent in filling out medical forms and getting Rei out of the hospital. For the time being she had to stop eating anything with oil and salt until further testing. By 5pm the walked out of the hospital.

"Grandpa, Chad, you two go ahead without us. We will be home soon." Rei said.

"Are you sure?" Chad asked, she had just came out of the hospital, he rather she rested.

"Yeah. We will be back in no time." Serena said.

"Oh ok but be careful and call if anything happens." Grandfather Hino said and they parted ways. Serena and Rei walked to Serena's house but when they entered, the scene before them was rather shocking. Most of Serena's stuff were packed and was sitting in the living room.

"What's going on?" Serena asked but Sammy and Rini looked away as if she wasn't there.

"MOM?" she called out and a few seconds later her mother appeared.

"What's going on mom?" Serena asked. Somehow she knew but she was hoping it was all in her imagination.

"Serena we need to talk." He mother said as her eyes shifted, she looked sad and fed up all at the same time.

"You're kicking her out of the house!?" Rei asked with shock!

"It's not that! The tension in the house is getting too much. We just thought it would be a good idea if you spend some quality time with your grandparents." Mrs. Tsukino said softly.

"What about my school?" Serena asked in a soft voice.

"Well tomorrow we plan to go to the school to do a transfer for the school in the village of my parents."

"I see, so when do I leave?" she asked them.

"You don't leave! You will stay with me!" Rei said angrily. She as furious, they were willing to kick their own daughter out for a brat like Rini?!

"Stay out of our family issues Rei!" Mr. Tsukino said as he entered the scene.

"I wont! Serena is my friend and she hasn't done anything to deserve this! How could you be so cruel?! You will throw your daughter away for a selfish evil little brat like Rini?!" her eyes sparked with real fire as the heat around her rise to a suffocating level. She wanted to toast these people!

"I will leave in the morning. For this night let me say my goodbyes." Serena interrupted before Mr. Tsukino could erupt with anger. She turned around and walked out of the house. Rei glared at them then followed Serena out.

"Serena you can't leave!"

"I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do! You can stay with me. Please…don't leave." They arrived at the park and they sat on the bench.

"Rei, maybe this is what I need. A break from it all." Serena said softly.

"But for how long?"

"I will be back at least by the beginning of next year. Then I can transfer into you school."

"But…" tears rolled down the priestess cheeks. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't!

"It's ok Rei, really. Please cheer up. I will call you every evening and let you know how I'm doing. You stay strong too ok?" Rei nodded and they embraced hugging each other as if this would be their last.

"Now I just have to break of with my boyfriend and the night would be perfect!" Serena said an d through the pain of that sentence, they both laughed and cried, knowing nothing would ever be the same again!

After sending Rei home with a promise to call as soon as the ordeal with Darien was over, Serena headed to his apartment. Every step brought closer to home the action she was about to take and memories of a similar pain consumed her. She remembered over again that fateful day of Rini's first arrival when Darien had so bluntedly and without an explanation broken up with her. At the time she had felt she couldn't live without him. Everyday had been filled with pain and tears, every couple a remind of what she longed for but couldn't have. Yet through it all she had survived, she could survive this one too. And Rei might be right, she might find someone out there in the world willing to love her in a way that Darien had never been able to, at least it was worth a try.

The double door of the apartment complex opened and Serena walked in as calmly as she could. She want4d to turn around and run away, run from this break up, run from everything. As she passed the guard she waved at him and he waved back. Over the past year they had become friends and no matter the hour he let her go up to Darien's room whether he was there or not.

"Hi Michael." She called out.

"Good evening Serena. How are you?" he asked kindly and headed in her direction.

"Could be better." Answered and turned to watch him approach.

"Darien's been in a foul mood all day." He said, the worry clouding his voice. Michael was a gentle man of 30 years who just recently married the love of his life and was expecting his first born. He never failed to talk about his amazing wife and the life they were about to bring to the world. He laughed easily and always made available himself to listen when anyone wanted to talk. But as nice as he was, he was as strict and unmoving as a rock in regards to his work.

"Yeah, we're all in some strange moods lately."

"Anything I can do for you?" he asked helpfully and she knew if he could do anything he would.

"Hope that my decision is the right one." She said and he blinked at her before his face creased into a worried frown.

"Well I believe in you Serena. And I know whatever decisions you make are carefully thought out and is for the best. If this is a choice made with your heart then I know it's the right decision." He said with a confident smile and tears sprung up in her eyes. that was what she wanted to hear, what she wanted to believe. She hugged him spontaneously and he held her until her sobs subsided. Thankfully for them there weren't many people around.

"Do what you have to do Serena, I will be here to help you face whatever consequences come afterwards." He said gently and she nodded, words unable to escape her mouth shut tight with emotion.

After 30 minutes of explaining things to Michael and receiving encouragements, she walked into the elevator and with a last wave to the man whom she had come to love and respect, the elevator took her to the last floor of the complex to face her destiny!

Quietly she knocked on his door and waited for him to answer. It was 10pm and she knew that he was either studying or sleeping. She cringed at the look she knew he would give her. The pounding feet approaching the door told her that he had been studying. She sighed.

_I hope I'm doing the right thing!_

The door opened and at first he had been surprise then his eyes narrowed into annoyance and a frown.

"I'm sorry to disturbe you Darien. Can we talk for a minute?" she asked, working her courage so she wouldn't flee that apartment. He rolled his eyes and stepped closer to the door.

"Make it quick will you? I have to study unlike someone." He said sarcastically and she gritted her teeth inwardly in other to stop herself for slapping him. The guy needed some sense knocked in him; he wasn't even going to invite her in! Suddenly she was glad of her decision; such an uncaring person would lead her to kill herself if she stayed with him any longer. She had planned to beat around the bush but she no longer felt sympathy for this unsympathetic fool in front of her. The person she had loved was not this cold bastard who looked down on her as if she was beneath him! She was the princess of the moon kingdom for Christ sake! And he was going to learn that no princess allowed such unmannered behavior in their presence!

"Well I am _soooooo sorry_ to disturb your studies _your highness_, but someone like me has more things in my life to make me proud than straight A's!" she sneered at him and he blinked, completely taken aback by her response.

_What's gotten into her? _he thought but then raised his brow at her and the lop sided smirk he used to wore to annoy her before they began going out graced his lips.

"So the rabbit has spunk does she?" he said amusedly and she growled, the fool was trying her patience.

"Whatever. I came to tell you that I am moving tomorrow morning to Trinia. To live with my grandparents thanks to your precious daughter! Congratulation, you and your daughter have managed to turn even my own family against me not to mention my friends. I hope you celebrate your victory with cookies, creams and milk." She said indignantly and he blinked at her before his eyes widened.

"What!? Say what?" he asked in shock. What she was saying was not making sense to him; it seems to pass through one ear and out the other.

"Anyway, I came to tell you that this relationship of ours isn't going to work. So before we hurt each other any further than this, let's split up."

"What?!"

"Oh what? You can't here too? Let me rephrase that, I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU." She deliberated her words until they went through his ears, this time managing to stay instead of passing out of the other.

He looked at her, his face devoid of emotions. She couldn't read at all what he was thinking. She wanted him to say, "No don't go! We can work things out!" or something along the lines that he cared but the look where she couldn't tell his feelings was not at all what she expected.

"If that's what you want then do as you wish." He said calmly and her eyes widened in open pain before she dropped her gaze from him and fought to restrain her tears and the shattering of her heart.

"Goodbye then Darien. I sincerely hope you find the girl that can truly open your heart and make you cherries her as I was unable to. May fortune guide your ways always. The moon will always be your ally but never more." She said and turned her back and with a grace of the last heir to the moon monarchy, she walked away with straight shoulders and head held high. She never once looked back and as she disappeared from his view, he crumbled to the floor and wept bitterly knowing his stupidly had lost him the most beautiful heart in the universe.

When Serena was sure he couldn't see her anymore, she took the stairs and run down as fast as she could, the tears finally breaking loose from their hold. This wasn't fair, this wasn't happening! Had everything they've been through, life and death, been nothing more than flights of fantasy from adolescents description of love? She run passed Michael who called out to her. He followed her running figure, calling her name but her ears were blocked with her own sobs and the breaking of her heart as if it were pieces of glass. One hand covered her face and with no awareness of where she was running, she stepped before a moving car that could not come to a sudden stop. The calm night air was suddenly pierced with screams and wails of on lookers and ambulance and police cars.

The girl known as Serena was lost once and for all to the world of the living.

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I was crying at the end.

Please Read and Review!

Should i make this into a series or leave it as a one shot?


	2. What We Take For Granted Epilogue

**What We Take For Granted**

**Epilogue**

With no conscious thoughts, Rei ran out of her room and off the temple grounds. All she knew was that she needed to be somewhere, her princess needed her. Worry for her princess and fear of the unknown allowed her to use her sailor powers untransformed. The far of mars boosted her steps but it was not fast enough to stop the event that had taken place. Rei arrived at the scene of the accident to find her princess lying in her own pool of blood. She bent and picked her princess up, in denial of everything that had just happened, even the glaring evidence of Serena covered in blood on her lap. Uncontrollable tears race down her cheeks and piercing wail left her lips. Holding tightly to her princess, Rei cried miserably. The on lookers already shaken by the accident cried in seeing the fire soldier in so much anguish.

Rei cradled Serena's broken form until the ambulance arrived. But it was no use, Rei knew Serena was dead. Sitting in the ambulance, the driver drove of quickly to the hospital.

Michael who had chased Serena outside and saw her get hit by the car rushed to Darien's apartment as soon as the ambulance left the scene. Tears trailed down his face with each step that drew him to Darien.

"Darien you fool! It's your fault! It's your fault! He kept screaming as he barged through the quiet apartment and into the elevator. He was angry and sad. As soon as he reached Darien's door, he pounded hard on it.

Darien who was sitting on the floor with a very defeated expression on his face jumped up at the loud banging at his door. His heart roused up, thinking Serena was back to beg for them to come back together. A smirk spread over his lips and he arrogantly walked to the door. He opened it with a lazy expression and a raised brow only to have the wind knock out if him.

He landed a few paces back, holding his stomach with a cringe. He sucked in his breath and looked up and blinked (the action causing him pain) at Michael at the door.

"What…"

"You stupid asshole! What did you do to her!?" Michael screamed at him.

"Whaa?..." Darien tried to ask in confusing. His abdomen was hurting from that punch Michael dealt him and now he was being yelled at for no reason?

"It's your fault! Your fault…" he said brokenly as his legs gave out under him. "Your fault that she was hit by a car." He finished as his shoulders began to shake with sobs. How was he going to tell his wife that the girl she adored so much had been hit by a car and might possibly be dead?

It did not register at first in Darien's consciousness who the 'she' was but then his eyes widened. It couldn't possibly be Serena! He would have felt it but even as he thought that, his phone rang. Slowly moving to the phone, he got there in time to pick up on the last ring.

"Hello?" he answered the phone.

"Darien, this is Trista."

"Oh Trista, is anything wrong?" there was a pause for nearly a full minute.

"I'm not sure. I am at the time gate and I don't know if what I am seeing has already happened or is happening or will happen." Trista said.

"What is it Trista?" Darien asked in concern. If Trista was seeing anything at the time stream, her priority is to tell Serena, not him. So why was she telling him?

"Serena. She is hit by a car but I can't tell what time this happens. I know it somewhere close to our time but I'm not sure." Finally what Andrew said made sense.

"I'm afraid it has already happened Trista." He said before he slid to the floor with slack jaw. He went into shock.

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_**Oh dear God, No! **_Trista thought after Darien's last words. She closed all time portals and immediately returned to the present in her room. Quickly she undressed and redressed before rushing to the living room where the rest of the Outer scouts waited.

"Hey Trista." Amara gritted cheerfully but it was short lived as she saw the panic look on the time soldier's face.

"What's wrong Trista?" Michelle asked.

"The princess is dead." Hotaru answered. They had been unaware when her eyes went blank in the moment Serena was hit. Now sure that Serena had passed through the spirit world, the little girl spoke up.

"What?" Amara asked in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.

"She was just hit by a car a few minutes ago." Trista said. It took a minute but it finally dawned on Amara and Michelle.

"No!" they both screamed.

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The phone rang.

"Hello?" Mrs. Anderson answered. Near by her daughter sat studying.

"Dr. Anderson, we have an emergency." A nurse from the hospital where Serena was taken called.

"What is it?" the doctor asked in alarm.

"A female was hit by a car. She has been identified as Serena Tsukino. We see no hope for her."

"Oh dear, not Serena." The doctor said painfully. She was well acquainted with the blond through her daughter Amy. It had been Serena who had brought her introverted daughter out of her cocoon. How was she going to take this distressing news of her friend possibly dead?

"I'll be right there." She said through her throat. Dropping the phone, she turned to her daughter who was staring at her.

"Serena?" Amy asked, haven heard her mother mention the blonde's name.

"Is in the hospital." Amy sighed.

"First Rei now Serena? What's going on here?" Amy asked herself. Not bothering to ask what was wrong with her friend.

"The doctors thinks that she might not make it." Her mother added. The response was instantaneous. Her head whipped around to her mother and the book in her hands dropped.

"No! No no no no!" she screamed over again as she held her head. Suddenly all the fights and drama they had been having didn't matter anymore. She got up and ran outside into her mother's car. Following, Mrs. Anderson grabbed her work bag on the way. With her seat belt on and an emergency light on top of her car, she sped through town to the hospital that would soon be a field of pain and sorrow if Serena does not make it alive.

Amy and her mother were the first to arrive at the hospital but Serena was in the surgery room so Amy couldn't go in. in the sitting room, Rei sat with her knees drawn up. She had already called her grandfather and Chad and was waiting for them to show up. Her teas flowed endlessly.

"Rei…Rei what happened?! Where are the others?" Amy asked, seeing no other faces around. Rei remained quiet; whatever energy she had to talk she had already used it in calling her grandfather and Chad. She couldn't or the loud sobs she was trying so hard to restrain would come out.

"Rei answer me!" Amy said frantically but still the priestess didn't speak. Panic and anger surged through Amy; she rushed out of the waiting room to the reception desk where she nearly yanked a phone away from a nurse. She slammed the phone down and picked it up again before dialing Lita's number.

"Hello?" Lita answered.

"Where the hell are you at a time like this!?" Amy yelled. The calm and collected Amy was loosing it and everyone who knew her and saw her acting this angry and frantic wondered what had happened.

"Chill Ames and tell me what's going on."

"What the hell do you me chill?! Serena is in the hospital dying and your telling me to chill!?" she slammed the phone down and dialed Mina's phone.

"Mina here, what love service can I provide for you?" Mina playfully answered.

"Get your ass here at the hospital now!" Amy yelled before putting the phone down. She looked up widely at the nurse in front of her.

"Have anyone called the Tsukinos?" she asked.

"Yes, they are on their way."

"Good. She was about to dial Darien's number when she saw him run into the building.

"Darien!" she called him out and rushed to him. His eyes were wild as he searched her, waiting for answers from her. She shook her head.

"They are in the ER." She said and also saw the Outer's rushing right in. Seeing Amy and Darien, they rushed to them.

"Well?"

"I don't know. Rei is in the waiting room." Together they rushed to the waiting room. When they entered, Rei did not look up or say a word but when Darien entered, her broken expression turned to rage.

"Bastard! This is all your fault! I will kill you!" she said, summoning fire to her hands and heading directly at Darien. Amara and the others held her back but in her anger, she proved to be difficult.

"It's your fault this happened! Are you happy?! you finally killed her! Took everything including her life away from her! Go to hell you bastard!" she screamed blindingly as tears of sorrow and grief and frustration clouded her vision. Chad and grandfather Hino entered and quickly rushed to Rei's side, Chad engulfing her in his embrace.

"What happened?" Grandfather Hino asked. No one knew how to answer and Rei was crying too hard to answer.

Five minutes later, the doctor who had been available to treat Serena when the ambulance came approached the group.

"Are you her family?" he asked.

"No but close friends. What has happened to Serena?" Amy asked.

"I'm sorry but I can only tell her blood relatives."

"We're her parents." Serena's father said from behind the doctor. She and her husband and child ushered themselves into the big waiting room.

"What happened to Serena?" Serena's mom asked.

"Please let's talk privately." The doctor said.

"No! Tell me what has happened with my daughter!" Mr. Tsukino exploded. The doctor sighed.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, I regret to inform you that your daughter is dead." He said solemnly and Rei's sobs turned into screams.

"Why?" Mr. Tsukino asked as his eyes began to sting with tears. Sammy after hearing the news slumped to the floor and Mrs. Tsukino went in shock.

"She was hit by a car. By the time she got here to the hospital, she was actually already dead." After his sentence, Mrs. Tsukino collapsed.

Rei got up and gripped he shirt of the doctor. "No! She's alive! You're a doctor right?! You can heal her! Please bring her back!"

"Rei." Chad said softly as his own tears left tracks down his cheeks.

"Bring her back!" Rei screamed again before she slid to the floor, holding her chest. On the floor she twisted and turn. She felt as if someone was trying to tear her heart out. Mina and Lita came upon this scene.

"Take her into the emergency room!" The doctor ordered. Amara and the two girls who had just come on the scene and new nothing grabbed Rei and followed the Doctor to the emergency room, Chad right behind them.

Darien's legs had given under him at the doctor's news. His eyes were vacant and in his mind all he could see was Serena's blinding smile and happy face. The expression he hadn't seen for a long time because he had been fighting with her. Because of him, the love of his life had just lost him life.

Individually they all broke down, consumed by guilt and their own self centeredness. When the story of what had happened was told, no one other than Rei had the right to blame anyone. They had been cruel to the very end, cruel and disloyal. They had failed as soldiers of the white moon kingdom. Why had they allowed themselves to be wrapped in the manipulation of a spoiled little girl, to be so twisted that they had lost their princess. After everything she had done for them. It had been because of her that they had any friends now. Before they were all lonely rejects, she had accepted them and polished them to become the center of attention now. And when she needed them, they had pushed her away, broke her heart. Because of them, their reason for living had left them what other reason did they have to live?

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A week later, Serena was buried. In that week there had been many changes. All the scouts along with Darien and the Tsukinos ignored Rini. they knew they had no right to blame her but all the same they all did. Each pointing an accusing finger at her. If it hadn't been for you this wouldn't have happened. If it hadn't been for you I wouldn't have betrayed my princess. Fed up with their accusation, Rini stood up to them.

"You dare to blame me!?" She screamed at them as they were planning Serena's funeral. Rei was still in the hospital recovering.

"I'm not the one who turned my back on my friend. What kind of friendship did you guys have anyway that could be destroy by a mere child. All I had to do was fake a few crocodile tears, manipulate things and you turned your back on your friend. So don't blame me for your own stupidity. You guys were the ones that never gave her any chance; your opinion of her was so low that you were blinded by what you saw as her flaw to appreciate her. I didn't destroy your friendships! You did those yourselves! It's not as if I came up to you to tell you to hate and break Serena's heart! SO DON'T YOU DARE BLAME ME FOR YOUR STUPID MISTAKES!" She screamed at them and they realized she was right. They had no ne to blame but themselves. They had chosen to distrust Serena; they had chosen to not listen to their friend, to blame her for everything. They had used her as a scapegoat to get rid of all their frustration in a form of standing up for Rini. Rini was a little monster but so were they.

But even after standing up to them, it became evident than no one wanted to have anything to do with her. she was never welcomed to Darien's apartment again, the girls ignored her and the Tsukino's barely knew she was around.

And as prideful as she was, she hated to admit that she had been wrong. So believing herself to be just in all of this, she went through everyday in bitterness and false faith that they would come back to giving her everything she wanted.

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Rei in the hospital allowed no visitors except Chad and her grandfather to come visit her. she avoided the scouts and Darien once she was out of the hospital and spent many nights and days crying. The day before the funeral, she decided to retrace her step, going to as many of the places she had gone with Serena. Telling Chad she wanted to do it alone, she visited all the sights she had ever been with Serena.

Was this really their fate? After giving up everything to fight evil after evil they were not allowed any happy endings? Why had things gone so wrong? How could they fight now when the one thing that gave them the strength to fight was taken away from them? Serena had not just been their princess; she was their friend and salvation. How many times had she thrown herself in place of danger to save one of them? How man times had she cried for them? How many times had she rescued them from themselves? And yet they had been unable to save her life.

They had lost the girl with the healing smile, the wonderful girl that accepted everyone for who they were. The girl who had showed them how to laugh and have fun. That same girl who could see light in the darkness, feel hope in times of desperation, understand what others couldn't. They had lost the girl with the power to create for them a happily ever after. They would never See her beautiful smile ever again, her eyes that would brighten at the smallest gesture of affection.

Serena was the kindest person they knew; she was so open, so pure. She was the kind of person who forgave and forgot. Even many of her enemies turned good because of her good heart. Yet because she hadn't been as smart as Amy, she had been seen as stupid. Because she hadn't been as matured as Trista she was seen as immature, because she hadn't been as calm as Michelle, she had been seen as a kid. Because she had not been as strong as Amara, she was seen as worthless. Because she hadn't been as flirtatious as Mina, she had seen as boring. Because she couldn't cook like Lita, she had been seen as hopeless, because she hadn't been as confident as Rei she had been seen as incapable, because she was not as aware as Hotaru she had been seen as a space cadet, because she hadn't been so imposing as Darien, she had been over shadowed and because she hadn't been as manipulative as Rini, no one believed in her. They had all compared themselves to her and when they realized they lacked what she had, they let jealousy take control over them except Rei who had accepted that Serena was a one of a kind person with a balance of everything.

Without Serena, they had nothing. It took her death for them to realize that the greatest thing they ever had was having Serena as a friend. Without her they were worthless. It hadn't been Serena who needed them, it had been them needing her all along.

Finally after the funeral and all had left to do more crying at their homes, Rei stood over Serena's grave, her endless tears flowing again. She couldn't imagine life without her best friend, it felt so devoid. It was as if suddenly she had been thrown into a cold world where she knew nothing. She hadn't realized how much she had counted on Crystal Tokyo until Serena's death. She realized then that death waited for no one and every minute you spent with a person should be very precious. To make matters worse, Rini still existed. The one comfort Rei had looked forward to was Rini vanishing with Serena's death but Trista had told them that Rini was a destined child. As long as one of the parents was alive, she would be born. So all Darien had to do was marry some chick and Rini would be born. The injustice of the situation nearly made Rei choke Rini when Trista told them of Rini's fate.

That little brat had killed their princess and yet she got to go free. Darien would never marry for as long as she lived. She would kill any girl pregnant by Darien to make sure that the spoiled brat would never be born!

Finally comforted by that dark thought, she returned home. For months as the scouts try to find a meaning to their lives, Rei had nothing to do with them. From school she was besides the sacred fire. The scouts themselves avoided each other and Rini had not been to school since. The worst thing was that she couldn't be taken into the future, the time gate was sealed.

Rei hadn't yet given up hope. Everyday she pent time digging through the sacred fire, hoping to find a way to return the spore back into the future. One such day, a month after Serena's death, she was sitting in front of the fire consulting with it when suddenly a vision gripped her.

In the vision, she saw a silver haired girl with silver eyes with specks of blue of about Rini's height. She was smiling.

_Rei._ A voice called to her but she wasn't sure if the voice was in her vision or outside of it.

"Ser…serena?" she asked meekly, the voice sounded like her dead friend's voice.

_Time is of the essence. You wishes for a second chance of living for me have granted me the power to overcome death. But the only way I could do so was to be reborn. Find me, raise me and maybe someday, I will regain my memories. I love you my fire soldier, you have proven to be most loyal, trust worthy and faithful servant to the white moon. I want no one else but you to raise me up. As my last gift to you, only you forever among the scouts will reach your ultimate sailor soldier level. I give you the power of eternal, while the scouts children may reach eternal, only you among this generation of scouts will follow in Sailor Moon's foot steps as an eternal soldier. You're deeds will be forever written on the moon and in the stars and for all eternity, you and your descendants will now hold the position of leader of the scouts. When Sailor Moon is no longer there, you hold the strongest position and power._

"But isn't Venus the leader?"

_Venus was chosen as the leader because at the time, she was the most level headed of all of you. She did not do anything special to deserve that title, but you have and as soon as she sees you, she will see that all power has been relinquish to you. She will not dare challenge the authority I have given you._

"How will I find the child you?" Rei asked the voice of Serena.

_My time is short…find me…I know not where I am._

"Serena! Serena!" but there was no answer. Rei came out of the vision. She didn't know what to do, whether to believe the vision or not. Suddenly the sacred fire loomed over head and she saw Serena's grave. She understood that it was telling her to go there. She got up and left the room. She found Chad sweeping the temple.

"Hey Chad." She called to him. He turned around to smile at her but his eyes opened wide.

"Woah! What the heck!?" he asked. Dropping the broom and rushing to her side.

"Something wrong?" Rei asked in surprise.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Chad screamed.

"I'm coming, keep your pants on." But as soon as grandfather Hino rounded the corner and saw his granddaughter, his jaw dropped.

"Hey, what's going on!?" Rei demanded. Chad dash out of sight and came back with a long Mirror. Looking at her reflection, Rei's own jaw dropped. Her hair was longer, up to her ankles, the purple streak in her hair had silver lines in them and her skin was fleshed out. She looked like the princess she had been in the silver millennium and under her mars symbol that was blazing on her forehead, she saw the mark of the crescent moon.

"She really did it." She said in awe. She was more beautiful than she had ever thought possible. She new then her vision had been real. Serena had just unlocked the seal not only to her past self but to her memories and had granted her tremendous powers.

"She?" Chad asked. She looked up at him with a smile and he was dazzle by the beauty before him. He had always known Rei was gorgeous but the girl before him was not just gorgeous, she was a goddess. Hearing his thoughts, she laughed.

"Yes, I am the daughter or the God of War. Which technically makes me a goddess. And be careful with your thoughts around me now, I can hear it." She said. Her voice was deeper and sexier and he gulped. She laughed and the laugh came out sensational and drawing. She would need time to control her affects on people, but right now, a child needed to be found.

"Chad, will you drive me to Serena's grave?"

"Sure." He said and dashed inside to find the car key. He breathed a sigh of relief when he was away from her, her voice, her looks, it was making him become a pervert and how could he keep that out of his mind if he is to be around her all the time?!

Grandpa who had been shocked by Rei's appearance stood there with his jaw on the floor as Chad and Rei left. It was amazing how she felt. She was very much aware of the maximum power in her now, she knew she could fly or teleport alone if she wished. And she knew she was completely healed of her illness. She was no longer just Rei or mars, she had become a goddess and that was not just figuratively speaking. Her human blood was replaced with the blood of the gods that were her parents.

Silently, Chad drove to the grave. He got down quickly and opened the door for her. He didn't know why he had done that, he just suddenly felt like being a gentleman.

"Thank you." she said. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she was running. Through the cemetery to where they had purchased a private land for Serena, she ran. As the grave appeared before her, she also saw something; on the grave was a white basket. A smile broadened on her lips and from behind, Chad watched with curious eyes.

Quickly, Rei rushed to the basket. With shaking, excited hands, she opened the basket. Inside was a baby with a mop of silver hair. Tears flood down her face, she was sure the baby was Serena.

"Rei what's wrong?" Chad asked worriedly. He had thought she was through with her crying. Would she cry every time she came to visit Serena's grave?

"Look." She said to Chad who came forward and saw what she was crying about. A sleeping baby. Who would abandon a baby on a grave?

"An abandoned baby." He said sadly. Rei laughed.

"No silly, she is my child. This baby is Serena." Chad looked up at her as if she was crazy. She touched his head, letting him see the vision she had had.

"Oh." He said, understanding that indeed the baby was Serena. Rei reached down to pick the baby, as soon as they touched, a crescent moon insignia blazed on the child's forehead, invoking Rei's own symbol. There was a spinning light which shot up into the sky. For a minute the sky turned dark as if there was an eclipse and the light from the baby's insignia hit the moon. The moon returned the light back into the baby and the sky returned to its normal blue. The baby glowed silver for a while longer before the light died down. The child opened her eyes and Rei stared into sparkling silver eyes with blue speak.

The child smiled and Rei knew everything would be ok.

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Finally the sequel! But then again i feel this sequel needs another sequel. *sigh* i am never satisfied.

lol

anyway...i hope you enjoy it.


	3. What We Take For Granted Epilogue 2

Please don't forget to read and Review my new story: **Eclipse!**

Oh and thanks **Artistia** for pushing me forward to finish this story!^^

**What We Take For Granted**

**Epilogue 2 – No more Epilogue right?**

"I've never seen such a beautiful baby in all my life." Comments like this Rei had gotten used to over the week Serena had come into her care. After leaving the cemetery with Serena, Rei and Chad went to the store and spent loads of their saved money buying baby products such as food, toys, clothing and other necessary and unnecessary products before returning back to the temple to inform her grandfather that the baby was Serena reborn.

It hadn't taken much for the older Hino to believe his granddaughter; after all he was a priest and believed in rebirth. A baby cradle was put in Rei's room as she would have it no other way though she knew most of the time the baby would sleep right by her side. For the remainder of that day, she had spent it in her room cooing to baby Serena who laughed and cooed in her baby voice. Over the week, Rei had come to realize that Serena was much different from other babies. She was…well behaved in a way which was odd. It was as if she knew Rei was too young to be looking after a baby so she was trying to make it easy for the fire soldier. Serena had not unnecessary cried of the week as babies would often do. Rei recognized an odd pattern, when Serena needed to use the restroom, she would start sniffling as if about to cry but she never did. After the first and second time this happened, she understood the signs Serena made for hunger and for privacy.

Rei resented it when she had to leave Serena to her grandfather because she had to go to school. She had begged and pleaded with the school board but she wasn't allowed to bring Serena with her to school. A sense told her she could change the boards mind with just a flick of magic but thought Serena might be disappointed in her if she used magic to get what she wanted all the time. Instead she settled to her fate but would rush out of the classroom as soon as the bell rung and teleport back into the temple. For the week, she had refused to take Serena far past the temple grounds though those who came to the temple saw Serena and praised her. Rei informed whoever cared to ask that she was Serena's mother. Some believed her, others gave her the look you would give to a delinquent but she didn't care, if she could play with her little princess for eternity, she would be very happy indeed. Chad had then adopted the title of father to Serena. Rei had to smile every time she saw Chad playing with the little bundle of joy, it was a scene that brought out Chad's manliness in a way nothing else could ever. It made him even gentler than he normally was and it warmed Rei's heart.

"Rei, when are you going to tell the others?" Chad asked eventually as the following week began. Rei roused her brow.

"Why should I have to tell them anything? I owe them nothing." She said as she cooed again at Serena and the baby giggled. But there was more to why Rei didn't want to tell the others about Serena. They would want to be around her too much and she didn't think she had the heart to share her with them; especially knowing it was because of them she died before. No, she would not risk Serena's death a second time.

"I suppose." Chad said reluctantly. He knew Rei was right but Darien needed Serena more than ever. What Rei didn't know was that Darien had been hospitalized several times after Serena's death and the doctors says he wakes up screaming for Serena. The doctors cannot determine what is wrong with him as physically he was healthy. Chad knew his suffering had to do with Serena and as much as he hated Darien for what he did to Serena before, seeing how torn he really was now scared him. He had heard that before Serena came into his life, Darien was a cold shell and kept everybody out. Serena had changed him immensely but with her gone, there was nothing to hold him back from keeping people out. But the worse part about it all was that he wasn't keeping out, he was fading out. Darien was a person who would be noticed without trying in any environment, but now even if he stood behind you, it's like he isn't there. He had no presence, like a shell…a ghost. Something existing yet dead.

"Rei?"

"Mmm?"

He looked at her seriously and Rei sighed.

"Chad I can't."

"Rei please. Darien needs to know that Serena is alive."

"Never!" Rei said fervently, pulling Serena to her chest as if to shield her. "Never." She said again, as if trying to believe it herself. She got up and took Serena with her inside. Chad sighed. He couldn't blame Rei but Darien was dying. If he died, it would be on his conscience.

"Serena what would you have done?" he asked out loud staring into the sky. An image of Serena laughing popped into his head and he knew what he must do. Rei might hate him for it but it was time to undo everything. The wounds all of them carried had to heal. Somehow he knew Serena could not fully return if the scouts did not come together.

_I'm sorry Rei._

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Darien tiredly sat in his room, all color gone out of his face, his empty eyes staring at nothing. The TV was on but he neither saw nor heard it, this was now the normal Darien. From an opposite couch Trista sat worriedly staring at her prince. She knew Darien had less than a month to live at the rate he was going, a person cannot live without a heart. For the first time, the scouts were beginning to understand what 'soul mates' meant. It was not a bond of eternal love but a bond of heart and soul. One could not live without the other. Trista realized that it was really amazing that Darien hadn't died right when Serena died but figured the earth was using its every resource to keep its last heir alive.

Often times Trista would come and prepare food for Darien, wash his clothes and clean the house, but he never noticed her. It was like he was blind, nothing reflected in the dark empty depths of his eyes. Helios had taken to entering Darien's dreams to try and help him but there was a large whole in the center of Darien's being that made it impossible for Helios to communicate with him. They all worried for their prince, Amara had even slapped him a couple of times but she had received not even a blink of an eye. A shell, that was what Darien had become. They took turns taking care of him, taking him to the hospital when he faints and returning him back when the doctors declare him well. They knew physically he was well but there really was no line between physically, mentally and emotionally. Without the presences of emotions and mental instructions, the body would not function.

They had even brought Rini much to their dislike in front of him to see if he would respond to her but that had gained them nothing. They were out of options and they waited in panic for the day he would faint and never wake up.

The scouts too suffered on their own. Not only was their powers slowly dying, they were having trouble breathing and the tiniest strain of muscles would cause severe pains. They may have been reborn on earth but their essence was not from the planet. They had survived this far by Serena and the Silver Crystal; with both gone the power that allowed them to live on earth had disappeared as well. The earth was not their home; it had felt like home only because one special person had made it comfortable for them to live. And hey had repaid her with betrayal and death.

Worst of the scouts was Amy who had taken to suicidal attempts, cutting herself until she bleeds so much. It had gotten so bad that her mother had had to pay someone to watch her twenty four hours seven days a week. If she wasn't cutting herself, she was freezing her heart with the little power she had left. Nightmares were eating at her, she often dreamed that she was in a blue void place where Serena lay on the flour gasping for breath and staring up at Amy with wide frightened eyes. And Amy stood over her freezing her chest and heart with her powers of ice. Then Serena could take it no more, she would scream and Amy would wake up screaming with her. The nightmares were tearing her mind and heart apart. She never went to sleep with the light off and like Darien had abandoned school and the world outside her bedroom. She was like a zombie, while Darien felt and saw nothing, she felt fear and saw horror at every turn. She too was dying.

Mina had taken to hiding all her thoughts and emotions behind an emotionless mask. She went to school and came home, no where else. She spoke to no one and other than her attempts to help Darien and Amy; she had contacts with no one. She folded in on herself and shouldered all the blame on her very fragile shoulders. She had been their leader next to Serena, Serena had trusted her to be a voice of reason among the scouts, the heart of the scouts and she had let them all down. Why hadn't she seen through Rini's manipulation? Why had she been so blinded? But she knew why, because she had wanted Rini as her own. Ever since she was cursed to never fall in love or be loved by another, she had succumbed to that fate and done nothing about it. She could have asked for help from Serena and Rei, but she had given in too early. When they had found out that Rini was Serena and Darien's child, a hidden jealous she had not known sprang up. Serena would love, would be loved and would have a daughter. Where else she would just rot away alone in her line of duty. She didn't care about not having a man to love her but she wanted to bear children, yet because of who she was, if she could not love and feel love in return she would not sleep with a man. She was not Mary to give birth while a virgin. Often times she had imagined how she would treat any child she had, shower them with love and gifts and spoil them rotten. She had never considered other aspects of discipline and teaching her hopeful children the right path of life. So when Serena did not shower Rini with love and presents in the manner she seemed fit, she had decided to become Rini's mother in other to fill the void of longing in her breasts. But in doing that she had forgotten who she was and who she owed allegiance to. The one who she should have showered with love and gifts was her princess. She above all else knew the depths of emptiness in Serena's heart, the wail that rung in her heart when she looked at the moon and remembered the kingdom she loved so much but had not been given the opportunity to rule. She knew the pain Serena felt in knowing she would no longer be held in the embrace of her real mother, Queen Serenity. She knew but had avoided seeing how deep the wound was. Because of her intentional ignorance, her princess had paid the ultimate price of death. Because she had failed in her duties and service to her princess, she had left her princess unguarded and death had delivered its last blow. She was responsible for Serena's death in more ways than one. Serena had died long before her actual death.

Lita had often ended up in juvenile delinquent camp since Serena's death. Like Mina she went to school and returned home but unlike Mina she vented out her pain, sorrow and frustration on people, innocent or not. She had resorted to her old self, fighting and beating up people who dared to even glance at her. She had been given a last warning that the next she was reported to having abuse someone, she would rot in prison, minor or not. But she didn't care; she'd rather rot and die than live such a meaningless existence. To distract herself of all thoughts, she took a job at a construction sight. Right after school she would rush there and work until very late, return home, eat whatever and sleep. That had become her life. Unlike the others she took no part in helping Darien and paid no attention to anyone else. It was as if looking or trying to help them would finally snap the tiny control she had. She had hidden all pictures of Serena and anything in her apartment that would remind her of princess she had loved so much. In fact the house still held a lingering memory of Serena so she often stayed out of the house into the late hours of the night, return to sleep and flee the room as soon as her lids opened. She had taken interest in drinking drunk, going to clubs and bars and hanging out with the wrong crowed. Yet even through it all she had a sense to preserve herself, as if waiting to grasp on to any hope that might be left in the world for her. And her soul ached with loneliness of one whose lover had left her with not as much as a goodbye. While she shed no tears outwardly, inwardly her heart wailed like a child, hoping someone would pick her up and say everything is alright.

Hotaru had taken to entering death more often than was healthy in other to escape the living world. In the living world she felt too much, death offered her and emotionless possibilities she found more appealing under the circumstances. She would often times lock herself in death for over a week. Trista worried because she knew that if the younger girl did not stop, one day she would not be able to come out of death and would be trapped in that realm alive. But Trista could not stop Hotaru and nothing she said could ease Hotaru's guilt and pain. She didn't speak to Rini either. She felt so alone in the world and she seemed to have forgotten what it meant to love or be loved. Inside death she found peace.

Amara fled to America to take part in racing competitions. It didn't matter what the competition was, she took part in everything. It was the only way she new how to put at bay the disturbing pictures of Serena's pale and worn out face in the grip of death. A complete tomboy she had become with no sense of direction, or purpose, like the wind she was the guardian of. She barely kept in contact with Michelle who had also fled to Romania to participate in their music programs and competitions. She drowned out the sound of her own crying as well as the others through long hours of playing violin until her hands ached and she had no other choice but to put the instrument out of its misery. But why she could put the instrument down for it to rest, she had no rest or escape from the knowledge that because of her, Serena had died. Like Amara she did all she could to forget what had been done in Japan.

Rini felt like a canarian in a cage. She often huddled herself in her little attic room, avoiding everybody. The prideful assurance she had held at the beginning that the others would come back to her side crumbled around her in heaps of gloating disappointment. Not only had Michelle and Amara left the city, Hotaru had also done so in a sense. Trapping herself in death to avoid Rini and the world and Trista was too busy saving Darien from his own personal hell to bother with her. The inner scouts kept a wide breach from her and whenever she would come in contact with any of them, the coldness they treated her with only got colder. The Tsukinos silently went about their business, no more laughing, no more talking. To them it was as if Rini didn't exist. They didn't pay any attention to her, didn't care that she wasn't going to school, or whether she ate or not. The curtains in the house were always drawn shut, casting more shadows in the house than was already with Serena's light gone. An idea began to take shape in her head but she quickly pushed it away, it was something she didn't want to indulge in. but as the days of loneliness lengthened, she could no longer escape the unwanted conclusions her mind was unconsciously drawing. In her time, she wasn't really liked even though everybody loved Serena. She had wondered why that was, what had she done to receive such a treatment? But now she was beginning to think that maybe this was the cause of the unwelcome she felt in her own time. While she had succeeded in tearing the scouts and Serena apart, in the future they were closer than ever. And it was no secret that Darien loved Serena more than anyone. Yet if that future could still exist after what she had done here, could it be that all her efforts were in vain? And that she was paying the price for it in the future? No, she did not like the thought one bit. But Serena was dead so that meant the future had change. If she were to return to the future, will her looks change? Will she forget everything that had happened here? Will she be mothered by a new woman? The last thought prompt a deep fear in her. If she had a new mother, then the title of the moon princess would no longer be hers. That title was her most priceless gift.

_A gift given to you by the girl you killed._

A voice inside her said. She turned around as if to find the owner of the voice but there was nobody there. She shook her head, dismissing all thoughts and laid on her bed to sleep. But sleep would not save her for the thoughts returned with a vengeance. She gave up on casting it aside and allowed her mind to go over all that was a possibility in the future. If she had a new mother, did it mean that when she returned to the future, her looks would change too? She tried to imagine her future father loving some stranger as much as he loved Serena and making Rini his second priority next to that stranger woman and she shuddered. She had expected the scouts and Darien to return to her side, and for life to go back to normal. But what was normal when the centerpiece of that normality was gone forever? What had she expected? To tear Darien and Serena apart and she had expected them to stay apart until almost a thousand years in the future when she would be born? Of course they would have made up through the wait for her birth! Why had she not considered what waited in the future? She had indulged herself in the pleasures of the present and had planned nothing for the future. If she were to return now to the future, what home coming would greet her?

_You hurt and killed her but if that future exists, she is the one who loves you above all. She was your role model!_

The voice said again and she jumped. The voice was right, even after all that Serena loved her best in the future. She remembered over hearing some courtiers discussing why Rini was an only child. They had said Serena had refused to have another child because she did not want Rini to feel that she was loved least than any other siblings she could have had. She knew Serena wanted lots of children, but she had sacrificed all that for Rini, to give every ounce of love to her. It was as if Serena before she became queen, before she gave birth to Rini knew that if other children were born, Rini would have complications. She had known and for Rini's sake she had thrown out her dreams of a large family to have a small closed knitted one.

For my sake….

Was the last thought she had before sleep finally claimed her and released her mind from the thoughts of the future.

**************************************************************************************************** Having come to a decision, Chad stood in front of Darien's door waiting for it to open up. The face that greeted him when the door opened was Trista's. He didn't know much about the outer soldiers but he knew this one was the calmest of them all.

"Chad?" he was surprised she knew his name.

"I need to talk to Darien. Well all of you anyway." He said and Trista opened the door wider. As he entered, he felt chill when his gaze landed upon the miserable prince of earth. Tentatively, she approached the almost dead man and stood in front of him, looking down at the once proud and noble figure who had commanded attention without even meaning to.

"Darien." He said but Darien did not hear or notice him at all. He continued to stare out of the glass double doors which led to the veranda and open air.

"Should I get you anything to drink?" Trista's voice startled him. Looking at Darien sorry state had made him forgot that there was another human being in the room.

"…Ugr no. I just have something to say and I will be off." He said.

"Then please have a seat." She said and he sat on the couch that connected to Darien's.

He looked from Darien's empty face to Trista's closed face and sighed. These people were suffering at a height no human being could live through.

"It's about Serena." Trista raised her brow and there was a tiny shift in Darien's body but nothing else.

"What about her?" Trista asked.

"She..." He sighed, thinking of how much Rei was going to hate him for this but he felt sure in his bones that this was what Serena wants him to do.

"She is alive."

There was nothing. No response, no incredulity. Nothing. Darien did not respond and neither did Trista. For five minutes silence answered his proclamation.

"Chad, please do not raise false hope. Darien is torn enough as it is." There was real cold anger in Trista's voice. Chad sighed and shook his head.

"I'm serious."

"Chad..."

"She was reborn."

"Chad!..."

"She is with Rei as we speak!"

"That's enough! Get out!" Trista's eyes and voice were blazing with cold fury. She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room, throwing him out and slamming the door shut after him. She slid to the floor in gasps of heavy breath and tears she had held back for so long slid down her cheeks.

From outside Chad heard the muffling sobs of the woman and left.

****************************************************

Chad returned to the temple and headed to Rei's room. He stood silently and watched she tickled Serena into helpless laughter. The scene was so warm and tender he could not interrupt. Rei looked like she was playing with someone her own age and size even though that was not the case. She was laughing with Serena, with two of her fingers, one from each hand held tightly in Serena's small curled up hands. Rei was making weird faces at Serena and Serena laughed helplessly against it. One such face even had Chad laughing and the magical moment broke. Rei look up behind her and raised a brow at him.

"You will make a good mother." he said.

"I am a mother." she retorted with glare and turned back to coo to Serena. Chad walked to her side and sat on the bed, silent for a few minute contemplating if he should or should not tell her what he had done. But looking at her, knowing she trusted him more than anyone, he knew with her he could only be truthful.

"I told them." He said simply. She didn't need to ask who them were and what he had told them. Her hand left a sting jab at the side of his face and her eyes glared coldly at him.

"How could you!" she screamed at him, panick, fear, and hot blazing anger coiling over each other in her purple eyes.

"The didn't believe me." he said, his face still turned to the side where the force of Rei's slap had titled it to.

"For your sake I hope they don't believe you!" she spat, picked up a suddenly quiet and sad looking Serena and left the room. Chad sighed; he hoped his stinging cheek was worth what he had done.

**************************************************

Rei managed to hold Serena gently as she stomped all around the temple. She was furious but under the anger was the insecurities she felt. What if the baby Serena liked the others, what if she wanted to stay with them instead of her? how could she avoid the confrontation she knew would soon come? Thinking of the possibilities she had, she w as tempted to answer to one which urged her to flee the city with Serena.

Serena cooed and she stopped moving and looked down at her. Serena raised her hand towards Rei and Rei brought her closer to her face. Serena touched Rei's cheek and the fire princess gasped as an image of Prince Endymion stood up in her mind. Darien and Endymion was one and the same person, so why had not an image of Darien come to her mind instead of Endymion?

Rei stared at Serena, shaking her had as she understood what Serena wanted.

"No Serena, please no. I can't give you to him! I need you." she cried as she held Serena tightly to her body. When Serena's hand touched her again, she was the same picture but it was glowing as if Serena was demanding, not just asking.

"No!" Rei said and silent tears began to fall from Serena's eyes before it turned into full out wail. Rei looked at Serena and felt betrayed but she new she could not deny Serena what she wanted. She took Serena back to the room where Chad waited and gave him the little girl.

"Take her to him." she said. He wanted to ask why but she was looking away from him with a vacant expression. He said nothing and left the room. Rei dropped to the floor ine helpless tears and she felt the wall closed around her.

******************************************

Serena was silent through the whole drive to Darien's house but Chad could not help but feel she was upset. Parking, he picked her up and walked into the apartment complex. Back at Darien's door, he knocked again and waited for the doo to open.

"Who is it?" Trista asked from inside. Chad knew if he answered, she would not open the door but if he didn't answer she would not open the door. He then saw the hole where someone inside can peek out and placed Serena's face in direct view of it. The door opened and he brought Serena back to his chest and covered her face.

"May I come in?" He asked but Trista was too busy staring at the bundle in his arms. Hr side stepped around her and entered the room. He walked back to the seat he had sat on earlier, still hiding Serena from view. As if aware of what he was doing, Serena stayed silent.

"Call the others." He said to Trista but Trista just stood still.

"Call the others!" he barked. She sighed and picked up the phone. He listened as she called all of them but those she reached would not come and the others he left a message. He didn't know that two of the scouts were out of town.

"They will not come." Trista said and Chad growled. He took out his cellphone and dialed Rei's number. After the forth ring, she picked up.

"Chad?" there was alarm in her voice.

"They won't come."

"What?"

"I had Trista called them all to Darien's house but they wont!" he was upset. Rei's temper began to boil. After what they had done to Serena, even as a baby Serena wants to see them! And this is the thanks she gets? She had allowed Serena to be shown to them even as insecure about it as she was and they denied to see the very person they had killed? She was pissed off.

"They will be there." There was a cold steel in her voice as she said that and cut off the phone. Her eyes glowed with the fire she controlled. After finding Serena, she had managed to put glamour over herself to hide her suddenly beautified self. To protect Serena, Queen Serenity had put a heavy glamour over Serena but with her second rebirth the glamour had worn off. That was what Rei had done to herself, she had glamorized herself to look like the old Rei but now she needed her full powers. The glamour spell wore off and her skin returned to the pale Alabaster of her heritage, her black her even more vibrant with the purple stripe in them becoming more pronounce. Her eyes were the very flames of mars themselves and body matured up. She closed her eyes and chanted. When she opened her eyes, she vanished.

*****************************************

She appeared in Darien's room with seven very disgruntled ladies. Actually they fell in a heap on the floor while she glided elegantly to where Chad stood. She opened her arms and Chad gave her the child.

"What the hell!?" Lita screamed as she tried to disintabgle herself from the pile. One by one, groaning and moaning, muttering curses and promise of vengeance they separated and stood staring at the flame covered Rei, whatever she was holding and Chad who stood by her looking amused at their display.

"What's going on here!?" Amara demanded.

"Trista?" Michelle asked as she saw the time guardian standing a little to side.

"I called you all but some of you didn't want to come and the others I did not reach. I don't know how you landed here though." She said.

"She teleported them here." Chad said pointing backwards at Rei who stood behind him. Her eyes were bland of any emotion.

"Rei?" Mina asked, shocked and scared by the power that wafted around Rei like a tidal wave.

"Seriously, is that you Rei?" Amy asked, her eyes opened wide in amazement. Rei's eyes move from one person to the next. From Trista's to Amara to Michelle to Lita to Mina to Amy to Hotaru and finally to the little pink haired girl who had yet to speak. Unable to meet the glare in Rei's eyes, Rini looked down.

"The next time we call you, don't you dare refuse. I am now second in command of the scouts and I will not have my orders disobeyed, do you hear me?" they all felt the chill and power in their voice. Mina felt and knew her authority was no longer hers.

"Who made you leader?!" She asked angrily.

"She did." Rei said and pulled the blanket away from Serena so they could all see the baby. Serena's crescent moon began to blaze on her forehead. Darien who had been absent minded to all of them in his room jolted up and stared wide eyes into baby Serena's silver eyes.

"Serena." The whisper came from deep down his throat, his very soul resonance with that name that finally held life. The scouts stared with mix emotions. Horror, pain, shame and an overwhelming sense of relief and untold happiness. Amy's legs could not hold her up anymore and she let herself slump to the floor.

"How?" Trista whispered in disbelief.

"Faith, hope and love can create miracles far beyond understanding. You should all know that." Rei answered softly, somehow seeing their reaction, the silent tears that trailed down all their faces, the pain she had not allowed herself to see in them, her anger had finally been put to rest. She may never forgive them for what they had done, but they were sorry and they would never repeat the betrayal again this she was sure.

She held out the baby to Darien and with shaking hands he reached for her. he took her in his arms gently.

"Serena…" he said gently, lovingly and with all the awe of a lover.

One of his tears fell on her crescent moon insignia. A bright light erupted from it and they all covered their eyes. When the light died and they could see again, fully grown, Princess Serenity, Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon, Neo Queen Serenity, one person that she was stood in front of them, glowing with the power of the moon, her heritage. Behind her stood the tall frame of the former queen and by her side, stood Helios.

Serena opened her eyes and looked from one person to another. She turned her back to them to face her most loyal companion. She walked two steps and stood in front of the wide eyed soldier of the flame. She opened her arms and Rei dropped into her embrace, crying her heart out. She held the crying priestess, gently patted her head until Rei could calm down. Then she stood up and with Rei by her side turned back to the others.

"I think we've all learned out lesson. Let not this repeat for there will be no second chances." She said gently, smiling at them. She let go of Rei for a moment and took Darien's shocked face in her hands.

"Speak now Endymion. You have only this moment to break the chain of destiny that has tightly bound us together. Is it me you want as your life long partner or do you wish to be free?" she asked. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. He tried again but he seemed to be in a state of shock that was making him have a hard time talking.

His legs gave out under him and he landed on his knees, his face pitiful with sad, lonely tears. His body shook as he cried his very sould out. She went to her knees before him and he held her to him in a fierce hug that would have broken bones if it was anyone else.

"Please, please please please, don't leave me again." He begged. Even Helios and Queen Serenity had to share a tear looking down on Darien's broken self. He had learned his lesson alright.

"I won't love. Forever and ever we will be together." She said and held him as he cried. She opened one arm in invitation and the others except Rini, Rei, Chad, the queen and Helios, run to her. They all clinged to any part of her they touched and Serena let them cry their pain away. This was the beginning of another chapter in their lives and it would mark how they would live their life until death. After however long it took for them to finally compose themselves, Serena stood up with them, approached Chad and hugged him too.

"Thank you for taking care of me as a baby, for being with Rei and for doing the right thing." She said to him.

"I suppose the slap was worth it then." He said with a wink to Rei who blushed and looked away haughtily with her nose stuck in the air. Chad chuckled and Serena giggled. Rei would always be Rei.

She turned around and approached the last girl who might or might not be her future daughter depending on her response to Serena. In front of her, Serena went on one knee and opened both arms. Rini did not hesitate, she jumped into the embrace she had missed more than anything and cried, her tears itself a testimony to her loneliness and her regret for what she had done. The others joined in on the hug, all of them knowing that she, their princess, friend, leader and future queen had forgiven.

_**Thank you.**_ They each said silently in their heads. What they didn't know was that Serena could hear them but she did not reveal that. They followed her to her house to greet her parents and brother who threw themselves at her in happy tears.

Things may never be the same but that was alright. They had their whole future ahead of them to make things right and to live up to their titles as soldiers and protectors of the white moon!

Later, the grave of Serena Tsukino will be dug out and they will find nothing. No copse, no sand, no skull or bones. An empty coffin and a living Serena Tsukino. And a story of a magic act will be told to conceal the real and true miracle that the once dead Serena was alive, well, loved and in love.

Be careful not to take the once you love for granted. Because not only do you hurt them but you hurt yourself. In a story they could always com back alive but in reality, there is no second chances of life.

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Read and Review!^^

Thank you to all who have read this story, your support and encouragement means the world to me. I do not think this story needs another epilogue however if it does, I will be more than happy to add on a third epilogue…not now though!

Please don't forget to read and Review my new story: **Eclipse!**


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